


In The Red

by Stargatewars



Series: A Schitt Year [37]
Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Comfort/Angst, M/M, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-23
Updated: 2019-09-23
Packaged: 2020-10-26 19:14:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20747345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stargatewars/pseuds/Stargatewars
Summary: Rose Apothecary has a bad month. David panics.





	In The Red

**Author's Note:**

> 'A Schitt Year' is a weekly series of stand alone stories focusing on the relationship between David and Patrick from Schitt's Creek.  
Prompts are welcome and encouraged because coming up with this many stories on your own isn't easy!  
All rating welcome. Hope you enjoy!

David was almost always late. Patrick was used to that, he didn't agree with it as far as business principles went but he recognised that his boyfriend was not a morning person and he loved him so he was more accommodating with David's punctuality than he would have been if it was anyone else.

At his latest, David generally arrived around half an hour after the store opened.

An hour after the store opened Patrick began to worry. He tried calling David twice and send messages. Nothing. Knowing how attached to his phone David was, concern and worry ran through Patrick.

An hour and a half after open, after he had paced the store for about the hundredth time, he called Stevie. She told him to wait a minute and she'd call him back.

Five minutes later his phone buzzed. A message from Stevie.  _ David's panicking. I think you should come. _

Patrick instantly knew why. He'd been afraid of this. They'd had a bad month. The store that is. They'd not made a profit and were sitting in the red. Patrick wasn't worried. He understood business, especially new business but David took it personally. This was the first time he'd built something himself, without his family's money to protect him and losing money had hurt. Patrick had tried to explain to David that this was to be expected in a new business and not to worry but he could see the fear in David's eyes. He had seen the panic building in David last night. David had brushed off Patrick’s reassurances with a quick kiss before heading back to the motel.

Patrick put a sign on the front door.  _ Back in 20 minutes _ . He hoped he'd be able to get David up and out the door quickly. Rather than drive the short distance, Patrick decided to walk, it only took a few minutes.

When he arrived Stevie opened the door to David and Alexis' room before he could even knock.

'He's all yours. Good luck,' Stevie smiled, raising her eyebrows as she disappeared out the door.

Patrick entered. The room was dark. Alexis had obviously already left. David lay on his bed, on top of the blankets, facing away from the door.

'David?' Patrick said, sitting on the edge of the bed. He received no answer. He placed a hand on David's back. Patrick could feel through his hand just how tense David was, a slight tremble ran through his body. Patrick waited. This was worse than he thought. He could handle David spiralling, he knew how to catch David before his panic attack completely consumed him. He had been witness to a few of David's panic attacks, so it wasn't anything entirely new, but it still scared him to see David during one.This however had moved beyond that. David not moving at all was a whole other challenge. One that Patrick had only seen briefly, but a challenge he wouldn’t walk from.

After a few minutes of silence, Patrick decided to move closer. He laid down in the bed, wrapping his arm around David, pulling him in closer. Patrick felt how fast David's heart was racing. Patrick kissed the back of David's neck, ensuring that his own breathing remained slow and deep.

David leaned into Patrick, needing the contact but also feeling as though he wanted to run away. Patrick ran his hand slowly up and down David's arm.

After a few minutes David finally spoke in a shaky voice, 'I'm sorry.'

'You have nothing to apologise for David. You're having a panic attack, that's all. This isn't your fault,' Patrick spoke quietly, focusing on keeping his voice steady.

'It's my fault the store is failing,' he blurted out between shallow fast breaths. Patrick closed his eyes, wishing he could take David's pain away.

'David, the store isn't failing. We just had a bad month. We'll regroup and come up with some new ways to get people in the store,' Patrick responded.

'I haven't worked hard enough. I should have done more,' David's heart began to race even faster, his breathing became even more shallow. He was starting to hyperventilate.

'David, you work really hard in the store. You are doing an amazing job. We've just hit a rough patch. We'll be ok,' Patrick pulled David tighter. He hated seeing David like this, so out of control. So lost in his own dark thoughts.

'How do you know though?' David replied in a whisper, his voice rattled.

'David, please turn around,' Patrick requested. David paused for a minute, then slowly turned to face Patrick, keeping his eyes lowered, he was embarrassed to be panicking. Embarrassed that Patrick was seeing him like that. He wanted to badly to be strong like Patrick but instead he felt like he was drowning. Patrick shuffled back in the bed to make room. He caressed David's face.

'Look at me David,' Patrick asked. His thumb caressing David's cheek. David slowly lifted his eyes. He looked exhausted, Patrick wondered if he'd slept at all last night.

'How do you know we can save it?' David said.

'Because, David, I'm the business major here, so you need to trust me. New businesses need a lot of work and attention. You have an incredible business model, we just need to come up with some new ways to get people engaged with the store. Like we did with the open mic night,' Patrick explained. He knew David knew all of this but his panic attack had pushed it to the back of his mind. All David could see now was the bad.

'So we have another open mic night?' David's breathing slowed, it wasn't back to normal yet but was heading in the right direction at least.

'I think we should keep that an annual thing. We need other ideas, we can do some research. Engage more on social media maybe?' Patrick's mind ran through ideas. He needed desperately to come up with something to give David hope.

'Instagram?' David offered. Patrick smiled. He could see his David slowly returning to the surface.

'The store is  _ aesthetically _ pleasing enough to work on Instagram,' Patrick replied with a smirk. It did make a lot of sense and would definitely attract a larger customer base if they could get it off the ground.

'But I have like fourteen followers,' David said his fingers began to fiddle with the buttons on Patrick's shirt. He wasn't trying to undo them, but the energy in his body needed to go somewhere.

'You might hate this idea but Alexis has lots of followers. We could bribe her with some lip balm to follow and like some of our posts. Just to get it off the ground,' Patrick didn't massively love the idea of relying on Alexis but he saw it as an opportunity to jump start their social media presence. David screwed his nose up at the idea.

'I don't want to ask Alexis,' he muttered, his breathing was almost at a normal rate now. Patrick continued to stroke his cheek, David's stubble, somehow both rough and soft bristled against the pad of his thumb.

'Just to start with. Then we go it alone. You have a great eye. Instagram is a great idea,' Patrick knew they would need more than just an attractive Instagram page to draw customers but it was a start. Something that David could focus on.

'But as soon as we don't need her anymore, she has to start paying for the lip balm again,' David responded.

'Deal. How are you feeling?' Patrick asked,moving his hand down to David's waist.

'Stupid,' David didn't meet his eye. 

'There is nothing to feel stupid about. You can't control when this happens. I'm just glad I could be here to help you come back,' Patrick leaned his head forward until their foreheads touched.

'Thank you for coming to get me,' David whispered.

'Always.' There was never a time that Patrick wouldn't be there for David. He understood that David was heavily emotionally invested in the business, and knew that these hits would be hard for him. All Patrick wanted to do was be there for him when it happened, to help him come out alright on the other side.

David leaned in and pressed his lips softly to Patrick's. Patrick pulled David close, hoping to convey all of his love and concern in that one kiss.

When they pulled apart, Patrick ran his hand to David's chest, he could feel his heartbeat had returned to normal.

'Do you need to sleep or did you want to come to work?' Patrick asked. He honestly hoped for the latter but also recognised how exhausting panic attacks were for David.

'I want to be wherever you are,' David replied, causing Patrick to smile.

'Well I need to get back to the store. If you'd like to join me,' relief washed over Patrick at seeing David return to his normal self, albeit still a bit shaken.

'Can you give me a minute while I get ready?' David asked.

'I can meet you back at the store?' Patrick offered. David's grip tightened on the front of Patrick's shirt.

'Please wait for me,' David's voice begged. T he few times that he had had a panic attack around Patrick, had resulted in him becoming incredibly clingy afterwards. Clearly this time was no exception. Patrick didn’t mind one bit.

'Of course. Don't take too long,' Patrick kissed David once more before releasing him. David rolled off the bed and disappeared into the bathroom.

Sitting up Patrick pulled out his phone. He'd already been half an hour. He hoped that there weren't any annoyed customers. But he knew that he was where he needed to be. David needed him now, and the store could wait.

***

By the time David was dressed and ready to go Patrick had already sent him the link to three photo editing programs that would help improve the photos David uploaded to Instagram.

When David appeared from the bathroom, looking more his normal self, Patrick stood with a smile.

David approached, dropped his bag and pulled Patrick into a tight embrace. Patrick wound his arms around David's back, pulling him tightly against his chest.

'You ok?' he whispered.

'I will be,' David responded into the crook of his neck. Pulling back Patrick looked at David. He was clearly exhausted but looked much better than he did before, colour returning to his features.

'Come on. Let's get back to the store,' Patrick picked up David's bag for him before heading to the door.

As they walked the short distance back to Rose Apothecary, hand in hand, David began talking about ideas to get a larger social media presence.

'... and I think if we can do this, we could look at opening an online store. What do you think?' David said as they rounded the corner. Patrick smiled. He always assumed that an online store would be in their future. With the type of produces they sold it just made sense. Hearing David had the same goals made him even more excited for their future together.

'I think it's an excellent idea,' Patrick said as he unlocked the door.

David spent much of the remainder of the day testing out programs to improve his photography skills, stalking similar companies Instagram for inspiration, and reading as many tips as possible about the best way to market yourself on Instagram. Whenever a customer came in, David jumped to help them, clearly driven by the looming fear of having another bad month.

The David of the morning was gone, for now, replaced by a driven and determined David. Patrick loved every aspect of David's personality, the good and the bad, the light and dark. He was thankful that David allowed him to see all of those aspects that made up the complex person that was his boyfriend.

When the store closed that night, David hovered more than usual to find out how much they'd made for the day. Considering it was midweek, and the store had been closed for an hour that morning, Patrick was pleased with the profits. David wrapping his arms around Patrick's waist from behind as he finished the banking for the day.

'Come home with me,' Patrick said when they were locking up. David might have been the clingy one after his panic attack that morning but Patrick wasn't ready to say goodnight just yet.

'Ok,' David said as they walked back to Patrick's car together. More than anything, Patrick wanted to take David home and make him feel love, to absolutely worship every part of him, to feel secure.

Patrick was sure that the store would be ok, but he knew that as long as David and he were together, everything would be fine. And he had no plans on letting go of David anytime soon.

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked this fic comments and/or kudos are very much appreciated. I'd love to know your thoughts!  
If you have any prompts for the future please comment below or contact me on Tumblr at @stargatewars


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